Machine for coloring kinematographic films.



E. A. IVATTS.

MAGHINE FOR COLORING KINEMATOGRAPHIG FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 3, 1908.

928,432 I Patented June 1, 1909.

3 UNITED STATES PATENT @llilhliQE.

ERNEST ALBERT IVATTS, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIZNOR TO COMPAGNIE GENERALE PHONOGRAPHES, CINEMATOG'RAPHES & APPAltEILS DE PRECISION, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

M ACHINE FOR COLORING KINEMATOGRAPHIG FILMS.

all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST ALBERT IVATTS, engineer, a citizen of Great Britain,

residing at Paris, in the Department of the Machines for Coloring Kinematographic Films, of which the following is a specification. l

The object of the present invention is a machine for. coloring kinematographic films by means of stencil bands, that is-to say'by means of bands cut out accordin to certain shapes, limiting the parts to be co ored of the This invention is characterized by: (l) a continuous movement of the principal parts permitting of obtaining increased production (2) an arrangement for continuously actuating the film to be colored: and its stencil band, consisting of a toothed cylinder constructed' so as to permit of an automatic or other adjustment of the two sets of teeth which engage in the erforatiorr of the films for the purpose of o taining the lateral adjustment of these bands; (3) a coloring arrangement consisting of an endless band car- I'ying the coloring material and moving continuous-ly above the film to be colored and its stencil but in an'opposite clirection to these latter during their assage on the actuating cylinder; (4) 'a hol ing-back of the films and principally of the stencil which is generally shorter than the film itself and permitting the sliding of the stencil above the film in an oppositedirection to that in which the film and'stencil are being moved for the purpose of maintaining the longitudinal adjustment of these two bands on each other; -(5) the material or nature of the endless band effecting the coloring consisting of a ribbon in velvet or otherlike pile fabric; (6;) the inking arrangement of the endless band effectingthe coloring consisting of a circular brush-rotating in the direction in which this band is moved but at a higher speed for the pur ose ofstraightening up the surface of the ve vet which has been pressed down when passing above the film; (7) the feeding of the coloring material to the above mentioned circular brush by an endless band plunging into a bath maintained at a constant level, the

I'novement of this band being adjustable according to the inking to begiven; (8) the Specification of Letters Patent Patented June 1, 1909.

Application filed October 3, 1908. Serial No. 456,094.

possibility of em loying this machine by substituting suita'b e liquids for the colors, for producing what is known in the industry of printing on tissues or papers as discharge prints or reserve prints.

According to the drawing accompanying this descri tion: Figure 1 shows in side elevation a d1agrammati-c view of the coloring machine. 1 1g. 2 shows a transverse section of the actuating cylinder with adjustable teeth. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section of the actuating cylinder, the teeth ofwhich can be automatically adjusted.

According to this invention the machine consists of a solid frame on which are mounted the mechanism for actuating the band or film to be colored and its stencil as well as the arrangement for coloring.

1.The mechanism for actuating these bands consists of a cylinder 1 rotated around its axle and actuating and adjusting in position the stencil 2 and the film 3 to be colored, 1 arranged on each other, this being effected by means of two parallel, sets of teeth engaging in the erforation of the films. This cylinder 1 is ivided. perpendicularly through the middle into two parts 4 and 5 but turning as a single piece. The two sets of teeth 6 and 7 of the cylinder are arranged respectively each on one of the two parts. They can thus be adjusted laterally although they are rotated uniformlytogether. The teeth of each set correspond, and are arranged two by two on generating straight lines on the surface of the cylinder; the distance separating them is absolutely constant and identical. The distance separating these two sets of teeth may be adjusted .either automatically as shown for examplein Fig. 3 in which a spring 8 constantly tends to separate the two halves 4 and 5 of thecylinder, while the tension of the two' films 2+3 engaged'in the teeth 67 limits this separation of the two sets of teeth by counterbalancin the action of the spring 8, or the lateral a justment of the sets of teeth may be effected byhand, asishown for exam 1e in Fig. 2 in which the sets of teeth (67 are cut'on the, two parts 45,' which turn uniformly together by means of the )iii 9. Thesetwo parts 4 and 5 are p'rovi ed with a screw thread at the interior, a right hand thread for the. one part and a left hand thread for the other part, and are screwed on a to another part 12 provided with two-iden- I .shaft provided with a shoulder 11.

Y adjustment on the perforations which is" g easily efiected. Theoretically, for an exact- .of three rollers 1 for locking the whole system, and screws 16' rigidly connect up the two'parts 14 and 12;

.in order to regulate the distance separating the two parts 45 it suffices to unscrew the nut of the bolt 15 and turn the stud 17 of the part 14 in one direction or the other until the screw thread of the part 12 acting on the parts 4 'and-5 have'brought the two sets of teeth 6-'7 into the required position. It is easy to be seen that with this arrangement I the lateral adjustment of the images printed on the film and the corresponding openings in the stencil will now only depend for their adjustment, it is absolutely necessary that the lateral distance between the erforations of the two bands, film and'stenci should be exactly the same, but in'p-ractice there is a certain amount of variation permitted.

2.The' arran ementfor coloring consists 19, 20, on which revolves an endless band 21 effecting the coloring; at

- the lower portion, between the two rollers 18' and 19 this band presses against the cylinder 1,011 which are situated the film 3 to be colored and the stencil 2. A su port 22 arranged at the front of the mac me carries two spools 23 and 24 theone 23 containing the stencil 2 and the other 24 the film 3 to be colored. The film and stencil first pass through a guide 25 and then engage with the tooth cylinder 1. The endless band .is rotated in. an opposite direction to that of the film by means of the driving rollers 18 and 19. The roller 20 serves as stretcher and by regulating its position also ermits of centering the band 21 on the lms. This band 21 serves as vehicle for the color. It is con-.

4 tinuously moistened by a circular brush 26 so as to continuously replace the coloring material taken up by the film during its passa e over the cylinder 1. Its nature should e v. such that it is capable of colorin the film through the cut-out openings of' the stencil and consequently, as itwere, to agreater or' less extent embrace the openings of the stencil. For this purpose one may, for example, use a ribbon invelvet or other like pile fabric. Y

The endless band 21 is moved (as by the belt 31-) in an opposite direction tothat'of thefilm and stencil, principally for the (pun pose of producing as it were, a metho ical use of the color which it contains and consequently a progressive coloring of the film:

this movement in an inverse direction has also the advantage of longitudinallyadjusting the film and the stencil on eachother; As a matter of fact, the friction of the band 21 on the film and stencil holds these latter back in an opposite direction to that in which they are moving, the perforations of the film and stencil are thus continuously held pressed on the teeth of the cylinder 1 and always from the same side, thus pro-.7 ducing a longitudinal adjustment of these perforations as ,exactly as possible; furthermore, the stencil, the-perforations of which are always nearer to eachother than those should consequently slide with regard to this film in anopposite direction to that in which they are moved forthe purpose of maintaining its longitudinal adjustment. This sliding movement will be facilitated by the holding back resulting from the direct friction o the band 21 on the stencil.

of the correspondingfilm as it is older,

The circular brush 26 efiecting the of the endless band 21 is so rotated (as by the 'belt'32) that it rubs against the band 21 in the same direction asv that in which the latter is rotated, but at a slightly higher speed for the urpose of redressing the surface of. the ;ve vet which has been pressed down when passin over the cylinder 1. This brush 26 is in ed by another endless band 27 consisting for exam le of a wire gauze held by-two rollers 28 an 29 and plunging into a bath maintained at a'constant level by a reservoir 30, This band 27 can be rotated by meansof a driving roller 29 which latter may be operated intermittingly by a mechanism of levers and ratchet wheels rotating this roller 29 periodically through a distance which can be adjusted as required.

The mechanism shown in the drawing comprises a ratchet wheel 33 on theshaft of the,

roller 29, engaged by apawl 34 pivoted on a lever 35 which is oscillated by a pitman 36' attached to a bell crank lever. 37 which is rocked by a crank' in 38 on the pulley 39 which drives the be t 32. A series of holes in the bell crank leverpermits the stroke of the lever 35 to be varied by shifting the point of attachment-of the pitma'n to the bell crank lever. I

Having now particularl described and ascertained the nature of my invention, I'

declare that what I claim is:

1. Means for, coloring kinematograph films,

.comprising a stencil strip containing perforations similar to those in the film, a toothed drum for moving said stencil. and film' to gether by enga ing said perforations, and a color-applying. elt moving in the o posite direction to that of the stencil and and exerting a backward drag on the stencil to keep it always in-register with the film.

2. Means for coloring kinematograph' comprising a stencil strip moving in unison with the film, a color-applying belt moving in the opposite direction and means for redressing the surface of said belt.

3. Means for coloring kinematograph films,

comprising a stencil strip moving in unison,

' comprising a stencil strip moving in unison with the film, a color-applying belt moving in the opposite direction, a color-distributing brush moving with said belt but at a higher speed, a color-supplying band in contact with said brush, and means for moving said band intermittingly.

5. Means for coloring kinematograph films, comprising a stencil strip moving in unison with the film, a color-applying belt moving in the opposite direction, a color-distributing brush moving with said belt but at a higher speed, a color-supplying band in contact with said brush, means for moving said band intermittingly, and means for varying the speed of movement of said color-supplying band.

6. In a machine for coloring kincmatograph films, a drum for actuating the film and its stencil, consisting of a hub having right. and left hand screw threads, two toothed wheels meshing with said screw threads, and means for turning said hub in order to axially separate or approach said wheels.

7. In a machine for coloring kinemato graph films, a drum for actuating the film and its stencil, consisting of a hub having right and left hand screw threads, two toothed wheels meshing with said screw threads, means for turning the hub in order to vary the relative distance between said wheels, a shaft on which said hub is loosely mounted, and a driving element secured to said shaft and engaging with both of said wheels.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST ALBERT IVATTS.

Witnesses HENRY DANBY, LUCIANA CRESPIN. 

